Astra Inclinant, Sed Non Obligant
by stenv
Summary: The Empire is a stronghold of logic and reason. But several critical mistakes spelled their downfall. But what if in an alternate timeline, things went differently resulting in a victory for the Empire? This is more a chill story and slice of life, maybe I might do some more intense fics in the future.
1. Prologue: WTN: A Quick Summary

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or properties. Please Support the official release. **

**A/N: Yes this is a rewrite, mostly because I just wasn't satisfied with this particular chapter.**

**Londinium WTN Office**

**June 1st, 1965**

The bustling of the crew could be heard in the background, as Andrew walked in through the double doors. He smoothed out his greying hair and suit tweed jacket. He might as well look presentable for the special broadcast celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the great war.

Though he liked to think he was impartial towards history, some part of it left a wound on his Albish pride as he thought of how dearly the war had effected Albion. Something that was all too painfully familiar as he saw some of the crew carrying around various maps that showed what the world looked like before the war, and what it looked like over the course of the war. And the final immediate post-war borders.

"Sir, we have a few minutes before the broadcast begins, do you want anything from the break room?" An intern asked him nervously. Andrew smiled just a bit at the young man's deference. It could be due to his seniority or the fact Andrew had actually been in the great war.

"That's fine lad, my wife cooked me quite the wholesome breakfast this morning." He said patting his slightly chubby stomach. It didn't quite have the same tone he used to be so proud of back in the day, though if you asked him. Andrew would say he was still in relatively good shape. The Intern nodded and then left Andrew to finish his own preparations for the broadcast, looking over the scripts and files and reports as a quick refresher. They came easily enough to him as the subject was something of a passion project to him.

The Great War still had many great mysteries due to nationalism propaganda and politics. Though the Empire ironically enough seemed to have nothing to hide and had the most to say about the war in retrospect. Soon enough the familiar national anthem of Albion began to play, and Andrew readied his bow tie as he looked to the camera with a welcoming smile.

"Greetings Ladies and Gentlemen. Today is the fortieth anniversary of the conclusion to The Great War. Since that day much has happened, but it is important to not forget what led up to the war or how it unfolded. Tonight we shall go in-depth as to how the war proceeded. But we shall first give a sneak preview and quick summation of the war and it's after-effects." Andrew got up from the comfortable ottoman, and the camera followed his movements as he walked over to the area where the maps were set up.

"A lot of blame is often laid on the Entente Legadonia Alliance for causing the war. Others choose to blame the Empire for invading, and others choose to blame us the Albish for not interceding and keeping things from spiraling out of control." Andrew pulled down the pre map borders, and from the looks of it, it was clear to see what those in power likely saw back then.

The Empire had been a relatively young powerful nation, one that threatened to upset the balance of power among the old proud nations. And in the past had managed to insult Francois by defeating it and taking some land, and had even taken land from Entente. When the Entente were struggling financially it wasn't hard to see their logic of taking back some land, to hopefully gain some profit back. As flawed as it was, and the trouble it eventually led to.

Still, as scummy as it was. Andrew could see why Albion didn't try to interfere, the Empire was a monolithic power even back then, and something needed to be done to either humble the young powerful nation or level the playing ground. And it made sense to let Francois and the Empire duke it out, and then swoop in and play mediator as it was an ancient practice.

"Or some would even blame the Francois, as allegations still insist that they were providing aid and provoking the Entente to fight the empire. But regardless the war truly did start in June of 1923. When the entente violated the border agreement of the Londinium treaty in Norden." Andrew pulled up a map that detailed the battle of Norden. Not that it could hardly be called a battle given how easily The Empire crushed the Entente forces. "After the Empire pushed back Entente forces successfully, it is theorized that it would have been easy enough for the Empire to push into Entente Territory and seize more land." He pulled up another map. "However, the empire instead initiated an innovative plan known as Plan 315. A Plan that operated on the basis of border forces holding down the fronts while a highly mobile concentrated force could travel to wherever it was needed the most." Andrew to this day knew that was without a doubt the main reason the Empire had ultimately won the war.

If they hadn't used Plan 315, and instead had gone for an all-out invasion. Then they would have been vulnerable when the Francois began their attack. "As a result when the Francois tried to attack the Empire, they were delayed and systemically crushed and pushed back. Dacia would follow next, with a new experimental mage battalion known as the 203rd which was led by the famous Tanya Von Degurechaff, a child of ten years old at the time." He paused not only because it was in the script to let dramatic effect set in. But it was often hard for him to believe that a mere child was capable of such things.

And despite his best efforts, it was hard to get in touch with such a renown hero of the Empire. Though he had studied her papers and strategies from the imperial military academy. And saying it was revolutionary hardly did any of those papers any justice. Some of it frankly terrified him with just how calculating and seemingly lacking in empathy this child had been at the time. He didn't quite know what the now-adult woman was up to, but it made him glad that the Empire wasn't at war with them. He shuddered to think of what she could do now that she was no longer a child.

"There were a few times in the war where it looked like things would fall back into Francois' favor. But Degurechaff was surprisingly there each and every time to change the outcome. Being where the Empire's Mobile Force couldn't be. Eventually, after The Osfjord Battle that took Entente out of the war, Ildoa who had been at that point a fair-weather friend to the Empire joined in after a proposal from General Zettour. Though some rumors will claim that he had some additional input from some empire soldier. These rumors remain just that rumors." Andrew pulled out another map detailing the joint operation of Ildoa and The Empire as they effectively crushed the last remnants of the Francois.

"From there they initiated a series of operations that completely wiped out the Francois' armed forces. By this point in the war, Albion's involvement was far too late, and the United States of America had no vested interest in the war. So it was only Albion left, and though they had the most powerful navy at the time. The Empire had seemingly miraculously made some advancements in naval technology and with Ildoa providing aid. It made any land war against The Empire seemingly mute. This led to a stalemate until we had no choice but to agree to terms proposed by Ildoa." Andrew sighed sadly with a wince as he brought down another map showing the effects of the agreement.

And they were not pretty in the slightest. At first one would think why did the great Albion Nation have to relinquish some colonies and the oil fields in the southern continent. Andrew had eventually found out the reasons, and it was the one thing that he couldn't condone for his nation.

"Albion gave up much due to its involvement in the war. Imperial Intelligence and Ildoan Intelligence uncovered incriminating evidence that showed that Albion had been supporting Francois and Entente. As such, the Empire was able to successfully argue for that payment." Andrew still couldn't help but feel some wounded pride at how greatly diminished Albion had become.

"Francois for its part in motivating Entente, and it's various war crimes was heavily demilitarized and forced to pay heavy reparations. The Entente and Dacia, by contrast, could be considered to have gotten off lightly in comparison, though they too had reparations to pay for, and lost some land as a result." Andrew looked at how the Empire's size had increased with the bounties of war.

"And for a few blissful months, after the year of fighting. There was peace, though some amount of tension remained for a good while. But then things heated back up on the seventeenth of January 1926, when the Russies decided to invade the Empire for reasons that are still largely unknown. But the Francois did decide to throw their lot in with the communists." Andrew only felt a slight portion of pity for the Francois, on one hand he could understand the humiliation and the utter hatred one might have for the empire. But the fact that they would actually dare to side with such monsters as the commies. Perhaps it was some kind of divine irony that they would once again be punished after the commies had been dealt with.

"The Empire managed to hold the Russies at bay, and Ildoa whose relation had vastly improved with the Empire. Managed to convince other nations to come to the Empire's aid. The first of which was the United States who had become rather influential business partners with the Empire, and had no small love for the Russies. Albion perhaps looking to regain some prestige followed shortly afterward, and perhaps to make up for their own shortcomings Entente and Dacia teamed up with The Empire as well." Andrew chuckled at the irony that most of the Empire's former enemies ended up becoming allies in the face of a seemingly greater menace.

"Despite the alliance, fighting was brutal against the Communists. Until thanks to some translators and radical plans, The Slavs of Russie began to rise against the Communist party and aided the alliance in taking down the party. Eventually, after one year of brutal war, it all ended in the 15th of August 1927. Where Chancellor General Josef met his gruesome demise and the party was thoroughly dismantled." And Andrew doubted anyone would shed tears for that monstrous political system being discarded.

"In the years that would follow, under an agreement. It was decided to help the Slavs build their own provisional government. And root out any lingering traces of Communism. Afterward, it was a rather peaceful time though the Empire had to deal with some uprisings in the southern continent for half a decade. Though the year of 1928 would see the last flight of the 203rd mage battalion which then disbanded." He brought up more maps showing how eventually the Empire did have to relinquish some control over the southern continent despite their best efforts.

And eventually, some negotiations gave small amounts of territory back to some of the defeated nations from the great war. But largely the Empire still remained stronger than it was at the start of the great war, and it only continued to prosper after the great war. And there was no doubt they were the leader in culture, science, art and was the definitive power of civilization.

"All this and more will be explored more in-depth tonight as we explore the great war. See you after the Commercials." Andrew smiled at the camera as the music signaled the coming of commercials.

**A/N: I just wasn't satisfied with the original version and figured I could do better. Plus I realized I messed up the date in the original.**


	2. Chapter One: Introspection

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or properties. Please support the official release.**

**Berun: March 11th, 1935**

The sun rose in the triumphant Empire, as it's people carried on with their lives. A few fliers were strewn about, celebrating The Kaiser's family and continued good fortune. Several passersby seemed to ignore the imposing military headquarters on their way to work. The massive gothic, romanesque building housed the brains of the army during the great war, being easily recognizable from it's flowing red imperial banners while embellished by a twin-headed dragon overlooking the steps.

Further inside what some would consider the fortress of reason and rationality, officers walked about with utmost precision and purpose, carrying out papers and documents with care. It was truly the model of a beautiful machine of peak-efficiency. At least, that was how one particular General saw it as she entered the building. Saluting her fellow officers as formality bid, she walked at a brisk pace through the Bureau until she arrived at her office.

The General inhaled the familiar comfortable scent of her office. After the war had officially ended, and years after the Southern Continent revolutions, the offer was made to become an instructor. Thankfully, it wasn't an option where she had no choice; instead, she had been content to get a desk job.

The edge of her lips curled upward as she removed her cap, letting her slightly messy blonde hair out. Putting the hat down upon her desk, much of her attention was spent looking at her supplies. Wasn't low on ink or paper, and no reports to look over at the moment. The Young General sighed as she sat down in her chair, truly loving the peace this job gave her. _'And yet.. maybe it's the influence of X, or some of my warmongers rubbed off on me.'_ She thought in a sardonic edge, leaning back in her chair. Ten long years had passed since the war had unofficially ended, and, while it was true the Kingdom fought for a while longer, the stalemate allowed the Empire to come up with several daring effective counter-strategies. True, they had never invaded the Kingdom's home country itself, but the Kingdom got the message that they weren't going to win.

All it took was Ildoa to chip in and broker peace. Some might have accused the Empire of being too harsh in taking the colonies The Kingdom had in the Southern Content, along with a hefty claim to the oil. But as far as the young general was concerned, if the Kingdom hadn't wanted to lose so much, then they should have kept out of the war. _'Anyone that goes into war should accept the risks of loss as much as victory itself.' _The General almost instinctively reached for the phone.

'_Oh, that's right..' _The former frontline soldier remembered all too well what the end of the war meant. Her unit, which had been one of the most elite forces the Empire had ever known, finished their service with distinction and honor. But in this new era of peace, they weren't as desperately needed as much as they had been at the worst of the war. So they had been split up, some choosing to retire. Others were promoted, either taking on jobs as instructors or even commanding their own units.

The Brigadier didn't know how to process it. In her old life, she would never claim to have any particularly close relationships. No, it was all professionalism and climbing the ladder. And initially, she hadn't given much care to her unit. They were merely shields, something that could stand in the way between her and those that wanted her head on a platter.

And yet, despite all that, she had come to treat the war as just business. Perhaps, those old cliched stories had a point. Shedding blood alongside someone, having someone guard your back created a bond of some kind. Though the general was more willing to entertain that idea, it was more likely due to her investing large amounts of time and energy into her company. The former commander still felt immense pride for the 203rd, they were the finest soldiers in the world.

Weiss was happily married to his childhood sweetheart now, and she had heard the news that he was in talks for promotion to Brigadier General. Grantz, surprisingly, was a good instructor despite how much of an initial bonehead he had been at the start. Koenig and Neumann were surprisingly good commanders in their own right when they weren't hitting on the ladies. And Visha…

No, Colonel Viktoriya Ivanovna Serebryakov now. She was no longer her Adjutant, she was now her own woman. The General could admit that she missed having such a capable worker beside her, and the coffee just wasn't the same as the kind Visha made. _'Still, even if she was an invaluable asset to me.. Even I could tell she had the potential for more, and it wouldn't do to keep her shackled to me.'_ It was a perfectly sound and rational argument she made to herself.

Though the young woman couldn't help but feel an odd feeling. Her life, while safe and comfortable now, with no more X to interfere in her life, felt uneasy, isolated and adrift. She had everything she wanted in this life, something she would've done anything for in her old life. And yet, why did she feel so unsatisfied? It was hollow, and every day it felt like her sanity was being chipped away. There were even times she had considered contacting her old unit, to catch up for old time's sake. But it never felt right to her, they were their own people now.

The elite wouldn't deny that she hadn't been the most gentle commander. She had put them through hell more than a few times, and though they seemed to oddly respect her, it seemed more likely to her it was more out of an obligation to duty than it was for actual admiration of her. No, to her, it was probably better this way, letting them live their lives.

The General picked up the pen and paper before her and began writing. Lately, she had taken to writing some spare novels in her time. Nothing so frivolous like tales glorifying the Empire's victory. Nothing that attacked the defeated Allies. No, she would leave that to the more eloquent writers with their fancy. She was more concerned about a potential economic disaster.

True, this world wasn't exactly like her old one as there were several differences ranging from minor to major. But, even if a second world war was unlikely now, that would still leave a great depression.

The Great Depression was something she doubted could happen at first. But her own experiences with X, alongside the irrationality of humans, had given her some clarity. The Great Depression from her former life likely would happen, being a result of the old ideological world clashing with a new modern world if you were the philosophical type.

It relieved her somewhat that her published works under a male pen-name were getting some attention. And from an unlikely source to boot, the Kaiser had apparently read her novels. And he seemed to be fascinated by them, so she kept publishing them. Detailing, step-by-step, ways to prevent or failing prevention to mitigate the economic collapse, and ultimately halting it in its tracks.

Before long, there was a knock at the door that caused the young anonymous author to pause in her writings, taking care to hide what she had written so far in one of her neatly arranged folders. "You may come in." She declared, adjusting her posture to sit straight in her chair. Her blue eyes containing a stoic demeanor, despite her melancholic thoughts.

The door opened, prior to her smiling just a bit upon seeing an old friendly face. "It's good to see you, General Degurechaff." Uger gave a perfectly model imperial salute to her. It was always nice to see him, despite the crow's feet creeping in the corners of his eyes showing a little age.

"Please Max, you can just call me Tanya. Come in, sit down. I can even share some of my chocolates. And how is she doing?" Tanya asked in a genuine manner. True there was some sketchy history between them, but no real bad blood. There were times she had resented how he had seemed to achieve what she wanted most, and yet, he had been a good compatriot supplying useful items, and intel for her use.

"Little Tasyna*****? She is doing quite well. Thank you for asking," Uger smiled with pride at the thought of discussing his wonderful daughter. To think she had been born a year after the war, and, thanks to great soldiers like Tanya and many others, she was able to grow up in a world of relative peace. As such, he would always be grateful to Tanya for that. "Chocolates? Hmm, you haven't changed all that much.." He mused nostalgically before he sat down in the chair in front of her desk.

"I am glad to hear she is doing well," Tanya said cheerfully, reaching into the box of chocolates on her desk. It was a small ornate wooden box, with the imperial flag sigil engraved on it. It had been a gift given to her when she was promoted to Colonel, from Zettour. She much preferred it to the cigars Russeldorf had given to her, probably as a jest. Taking the lid off the box and picking out fresh chocolates that she had bought two days ago at a local shop, she didn't mind the comment about her past; it wasn't a bad memory in retrospect.

"Aye, I still remember how you used to sit in the cafe, with your rifle, the day's newspaper, and chocolates," Uger gratefully accepted the single chocolate, enjoying the pleasant aroma of it. "She is a little downtrodden, as of late." He sighed regretfully, thinking of how sad his daughter was at recent news.

"How come?" Tanya asked in slight confusion. She doubted it was anything to do with Uger or his wife. Tanya knew the man wasn't alcoholic or abusive in any regard and had a good head on his shoulders. And, if his interactions with her in the great war were anything to go by, he had the makings of a quality family man.

"She was recently tested," He huffed, still holding the wrapped chocolate in his hand. "She sadly doesn't have the aptitude to become a mage. I think she wanted to be like you." Uger chuckled as he placed the chocolate on the desk. He could save it for later after they were caught up.

Tanya tensed slightly at the comment, she wasn't offended by any means. _'I suppose, I am something of a war hero. But I never expected to inspire children to become me.'_ She struggled to put on a calm smile, despite the inner turmoil she was going through. "My condolences to her, but you can tell her I said this: There is more than one way to contribute to your country besides magic or wielding a gun," Tanya claimed in a soothing voice.

Uger smiled at her in gratitude. "Thank you, Tanya. I am sure she will be even more ecstatic to learn that her idol believes in her." A few more minutes passed as they caught up on small talk, mostly about the current state of the Empire, along with many new recipes that Uger's wife was trying every night. It was all rather casual until Uger thoughtfully asked her a question she wasn't prepared for. "Tanya, forgive me if I seem rude... But are you doing anything outside of work?" He inquired innocently enough.

"Whatever do you mean?" Tanya responded caught off guard at the sudden questioning. If she were, to be honest, it wasn't that she was offended, rather it was simply a question she had never considered. Work was all she did; she would report in, do paperwork, perhaps occasionally some visits to other parts of the country, only to head home and rest until it was time to work again.

"It's just…" Uger began nervously, averting his gaze and scratching the back of his neck. He knew that Tanya was a rather dedicated individual and, to many, she was the living embodiment of the ideal soldier. But despite all that, whenever he looked at her when he had the chance to, He had this feeling that she was isolated, and lonely somehow. He couldn't claim to be the closest relationship she had; no he considered that to be her former unit or the top brass. But they had gone to school together and were even rivals at some point. So he felt like he could at least understand her by some small fraction. "I've heard all you ever do is work and go home." He stated with a sigh.

"Ah, that bad huh?" Tanya remarked with a light laugh. There was soon an awkward tension in the room as Uger wasn't the first person to have brought this up to her. Although, thankfully, he wasn't some would-be suitor propositioning her for a date. So she didn't feel the need to shut him down right away, being nowhere near as harsh as the one poor soul she sent to an abandoned pillbox. He didn't die necessarily but he spent a surprising amount of time stuck there. Soon after, it practically became a legend around the workplace that supposedly he was still stuck there. "But you're not wrong. That is my life in a nutshell, and so far it's been good. Though I will admit that it does get tiring sometimes." She said, letting her defense down just a bit.

"Well, if it wouldn't bother you too much. Maybe you could try visiting me sometime? I know my wife wouldn't mind another mouth to try her cooking, and Tasnya would love to meet you." Uger suggested hopefully.

"I suppose I could work it into my schedule. How does Saturday sound?" Tanya implied knowing she had nothing to do on Saturday. And perhaps, she could use a break in the monotony of her daily routine. It was a small step to start with, and maybe this could alleviate the sense of isolation.

"It sounds wonderful! Thank you, Tanya." Uger soon remembered that he had reports to deliver to the general. So he laid them on the desk, and then after taking his chocolate. He gave a salute to her and headed on his way. The chocolate, once it was in his mouth, tasted quite divine.

Tanya filed away the reports with relative ease, with her past life experience and her own military efficiency. Taking care of the reports wasn't too difficult, to begin with, and none of it was anything major. Just news on proposed theories, tactics, and new weapon designs. After it was all said and done, it was time for her shift to be over. She collected her papers, not wanting to leave them in her office just in case.

Tanya once again donned her hat and marched out of her office. Once out on the streets, she walked home with a relaxed stride in her step. Today had been quite pleasant to her, especially with an offer for a free meal from an old friend.

Amid her trek home, barking and howling pulled the attention of the young woman, noticing some children playing with a dog. Seeing it not only made her think about old memories of other children playing. But it sparked something in her, something she could easily maintain herself. Perhaps if she adopted a dog, she could take care of it as well. She would need to train it, of course.

Tanya frowned at the thought. _'Do I really want to be responsible for a dog though? Pros: If trained right, I would have a faithful obedient companion by my side. Cons: I would still have to make sure it's house trained.'_ Tanya pondered the situation to its fullest extent. And after thinking it over, she came to the conclusion that she wouldn't mind a dog.

Tired after a long day of work, Tanya got into her car and drove to her rather modest house. Despite being romanesque like her place of work, it was only two stories and painted in a deep red color, complemented with black window trimmings and golden curtains. She didn't really mind the appearance of the architecture, and the lawn was easy enough to take care of. She didn't have any staff to do chores, often doing it herself when she had the time to spare. _'A choice created from patriotism was a bit tacky at best, and off-putting at the worst.' _Tanya thought in lamentation, but she could live with it overall. Still, to many passersby, the house proudly sported the colors of the imperial flag.

In spite of the relative peace of her life, and the comforts she had. Tanya couldn't shake off the paranoia that Being X wouldn't just take it all away from her in the blink of an eye. Though she hadn't heard a single peep from him after one of his lackeys cursed her type 95, it just made her all the more nervous for the punchline and admittedly, there were times when she wanted to tear out her hair. She walked into the house looking at the rich mahogany floor. There were six rooms in all, with various colored walls. And yet the house was very spartan, being lived in but there wasn't much in the way of decoration. _'I really should make these walls a solid color at some point…' _

The young soldier never had any guests, and the solitary life made things easier to take care of. Slowly, the creaking steps up the stairs led to her study. Her study only had one single desk, with the standard assortment of papers and pens, and a singular bookshelf that only had six books so far. Her motions were entirely routine as Tanya hung up her coat and hat, prior to sitting down in her chair. Tanya was grateful ever since the war had ended she had managed to gain some height, no longer being the size of a child. Though she still very much possessed a slender frame but was no longer vertically challenged.

Tanya put her unfinished thesis on the desk, finishing a few more paragraphs as time passed in the background. As the sun went down, she switched on the lamp. And once she was finished, she neatly arranged her papers as she always did, and put them in another folder.

Leaning back into her comfortable home throne, a crumpled up ball of paper on the floor was caught in her periphery. Her brows furrowed as she grimaced, picking up what used to be a letter to one of her comrades. At one point, she had written letters for each and every one of her unit; her original plan had been to send them all once she finished all of them. But when it came to Visha, she couldn't think of the right words to say. Nothing she wrote seemed right, making a mountain out of a molehill, throwing enough letters into the trash to fill the bin before she resigned the task to a later date.

**Moskva: March 12th, 1935**

Visha finished making her coffee, the steam rising from the cup. It was black as night, a stark contrast to the cute brunette. She was sitting at her desk in the room that once belonged to a detestable man. Loria had been his name, and his death had been rather violent when the Slavs had joined the other powers in fighting the Soviets.

He had been personally torn apart by the rampaging Slavs. Josef had tried to escape, only for the 203rd to find him. What happened there was an oddly touching moment, despite the killing of a man. Her commander had offered her the chance to kill Josef herself, as repayment for suffering the man had caused for her family and herself. Visha declined the offer in being solely responsible for his death since even now, she had no real memories of her childhood in Russie.

Still, she could admit that she had a fun time running around with Tanya, burning down the communist flags, and destroying monuments to the red menace. Those had been good times, even when they had to stay in the rather unpleasant southern continent for a while, putting down rebellions until the Empire decided it was no longer worth the trouble.

Ever since the 203rd had gone their separate ways, Visha had worked her way up the ranks to become a Colonel. Afterwards, she was requested to work in Moskva to improve relations between the Slavs and Imperials.

At the time, when the Soviets fell, The Imperials had wanted to put a puppet government in charge. Although the United States objected, an agreement with some input from Albion came to be, it was agreed to set up a provisional government for the Slavs; Ultimately, the Slavs would run their own affairs. But Visha was there to help the Imperials with assisting them if need be, as well as to make sure there weren't any traces of Communism. Keeping relations between all parties civil was tiring but the Colonel did the best she could.

Everything was quite different compared to her time on the battlefield. It was quiet for one, and there was less flying involved, though she found herself missing the battlefield, for reasons she couldn't quite put her finger on. She kept in touch with her old comrades, save for a certain commander. _'She told me that she didn't want to get in my way…' _She sighed as she still remembered that day. It had hurt her for some reason and she hadn't spoken to the commander since. But she couldn't help it, often wondering how her former commander was doing, with the latest news she heard was that Tanya was now a Brigadier General.

Visha sighed as she took a sip of her coffee, attracting the attention of Frankie. The big white samoyed tilted his head as he walked up to her with his tail wagging. She ran her hand through his thick coat, smiling as she had just recently finished creating an ushanka for him, and it looked quite dashing on him.

"Aww don't worry Frankie. I am just lost in thought." She hummed softly continuing to pet him. She had found him as a pup on the day they destroyed the soviets. He had been a tiny thing, all dirty and near the brink of death. She had taken him in, the most defiant she had ever gotten towards her commander.

However, Tanya surprisingly allowed it, so long as Visha could look after the dog on her own. So she did, training him and giving him baths. The Colonel even taught him to carry around items such as luggage and so on. He was a wonderful companion who made the cold nights in Moskva seem less frigid.

And things were going smoothly all things considered. The Slavic Provisional government, while it needed some support, was progressing smoothly. Visha continued to drink her coffee, she used to have a preference for sweets before the war. Erya would make them for her every day in their room. Erya had gotten married recently to a good man, and they were expecting a child later this year.

She went back to doing her work and taking care of Frankie, short for Frankfurtter, promising to take him for a walk once she was done with work. There had been no real complaints about her current life, it probably wouldn't be long until she reached the rank of Brigadier General after Weiss.

Not that she had ambitions for that sort of thing. But it was nice to have her accomplishments acknowledged. And maybe just maybe if she met Tanya again, she could prove that she had indeed made something of herself.

**Stocksholm: March 13th, 1935**

Cracking of wood could be heard within the treelines, as a grey Vallhund barked while chasing birds. Further, in the woods, there was a tall young woman with her light brown hair tied into a ponytail, so her long hair would stay out of her face, Mary wiped the sweat from her brow, before resuming in her work chopping the wood.

The young woman paused to catch her breath, for she had been up all morning collecting wood that she could sell in town. It was a side job for her when she wasn't working at the shop she and her family had opened. It was long hours with little pay, but she didn't mind it. It made her happy to help out her neighbors, and sell medicines to those in need. It was good honest work, that made her proud of herself.

Mary sighed as she finished chopping the final log. As she put the cut-up wood into her wheelbarrow. She looked around for her hound. "Thorgi! It's time to go." Mary called out, waiting for the grey Vallhund to come running back to her. His short tail wagged as he held a dead bird in his jaws, earning a frown from his master at the loss of life. But she patted his head regardless, somewhat proud of his hunting ability.

The pair walked back to town, whistling an old song her father would sing to her when she couldn't sleep. The weather was beautiful out today, with the long walk through the forest reminding her of just how much she loved her home. Once Mary could reach civilization, she continued to remain in good spirits. That was until she noticed a new shop, and then smile turned into a frown.

'_What are they doing here?'_ Mary gritted her teeth, while her hands balled into fists. The shop was Imperial in nature, the storekeeper being, without a doubt, a visitor from the Empire. Mary despised the Empire, as they were some of the worst people in her eyes. She wouldn't deny that her country had started the fight, and yet the Empire, even after winning, couldn't help but just take from them.

And for what they did to her father, no she couldn't forgive them. Mary was snapped out of her red haze by Thorgi licking her hand. Mary blinked before exhaling, relieved that she hadn't stood there in place. She petted Thorgi's head and then continued into the large city. Pointedly avoiding the imperial store, she caught up with some old faces.

The young woman headed home while thinking of the war that happened twelve years ago. She had been a young girl only eleven at the time. Her father went off to fight in the war, while she went off to live with her grandmother in the United States. It had been a peaceful period, but it was tainted by the fear that the Empire would destroy everything she cherished.

Thinking of how the Empire had tormented her people made her start to grow angry again as she entered her home.

"Welcome home, Mary." A tired male voice greeted her. And she looked at her father, in his wheelchair. He wore an eyepatch, and his cleanly shaven face would have made him look young, were it not for the grey streaks in his light brown hair.

"Papa," She called out to him and gave him a hug. Thorgi, being an unusually trained dog, wiped his paws off on the rug before trotting his way up the stairs.

"Is everything alright?" Anson questioned, knowing all too well something was off about his daughter.

"It's nothing…" Mary trailed off, trying to hide her thoughts. Anson stared at her with disapproval, making her cave and admitting to what had upset her. Anson sighed at that bit of news, he wasn't surprised that more Imperials were moving to Legadonia.

"Mary," He started, trying to broach the subject carefully. He knew that she wasn't the only kind of person that resented the Imperials for their brief occupation, and the territories they had lost on top of the reparations imposed on them. "I know you dislike the Imperials. But please try to tolerate them.. I don't want you to do anything rash." Anson gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"Rash?! After what they did to you?!" Mary spoke with tears of rage. "They took your eye and legs, and they keep expecting us to pay the price for the mistakes of an old party that doesn't even exist anymore! Why do we have to tolerate them?!" Mary trembled in frustration. The young woman felt like it was an injustice, they were all suffering as a result of losing the war.

"I know Mary. I fought in the war," Anson gripped the handles of his wheelchair tightly, his knuckles going white. He still remembered Thor dying before him, his fellow soldiers dying. He would've died too if it wasn't for luck. That an imperial soldier apparently had some mercy, though he spent time as a POW. They were relatively polite to him, though he still had some resentment for what happened to his fatherland. "But we must be thankful that we survived by the grace of God," Anson claimed while bringing her hands together in prayer. Mary seemed to calm down at the mention of the lord.

"Time for dinner!" The voice of Mrs. Sue brought the two out of their prayers. As they made their way to the kitchen, Thorgi whined wanting to go into the kitchen, though Mary gave a whistle keeping him out of the kitchen, as Mrs. Sue didn't like the thought of fleas in her kitchen.

**A/N: I do apologize for the slightly somber tone this chapter took. But I figured it would be somewhat necessary to do catch up on what Tanya and the others have been up to.**

**The reason Mary and Visha had less content than Tanya isn't that I didn't like writing them. It's more due to the fact of Visha and Mary not being as introspective as Tanya. That and Visha is okay with her situation, she does her work and is good at it. Plus she doesn't have to deal with the paranoia that some jerk claiming to be the god of the world might be after her.**

**As for Mary, she is purely emotional, and in the grand scheme of things since she never had to fight in the war. It doesn't really have much to catch up on. **

**Also, I would highly recommend looking up the type of dogs that Visha and Mary have. They are so freaking cute.**

**Now I do have future chapters planned. However, if there are any delays it's usually because I do put these chapters through editors to make sure they come up in good quality.**

**Now going forward in the future, I won't be putting Tanya, Visha and Mary POVS all in the same chapter again. This was just an easy way to catch up to speed on everything they've gone through so far.**

**And to anyone that really hates Mary. I won't deny I don't like her much either. But in her defense, she is a different person in this timeline. Also, just to clarify, she was in the united states until the war was over, and then eventually she moved back to the Entente.**

**Next Chapter, Dinner with a friend. **

**77coke: Thanks for the interest.**

**Victoriakay: Same here I headcanon Tanya loves dogs. And I already know what kind of dog to get her.**

**Bighead98: I can't spoil if that will happen or not. So you will just have to keep reading to see ;).**

**TheMole10: Yep more than likely and thanks for the review.**

**Fun Fact: Originally instead of this I had considered doing a vampire Tanya fanfic. But due to not being able to think all the way through yet. I held off on it. Though I might do a one-shot of it in October to celebrate Halloween. **

***: Cookie Points for anyone that gets the reference.**

**And once again thanks to my editor. Who I pay in tacos and baby animals.**


	3. Chapter Two: Dinner and Armistice

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or properties. Please support the official release.**

**March 16th, 1935**

She was driving along the outskirts of Berun, looking at the orange hue of the sky. It wouldn't be long until night would fall in the great city. But right now she was more concerned with visiting an old home, soon she could see the old orphanage where she had first entered this world.

Tanya had mixed feelings when it came to the orphanage. True it was run by nuns, and thus it was in association with her greatest enemy. And yet she couldn't deny that the nuns had put in hard work beyond what was needed in order to help a poor child like her. The bastard child of some unknown soldier, and a deceased woman.

After the war had ended, and the campaigns in the southern continent had died down. Tanya with time on her hands had taken to a tradition of weekly donations to the orphanage. And in that time, the orphanage had flourished. Tanya never really allowed herself to be all that affected by the words of gratitude and praise the nuns threw her way.

As far as she was concerned, she was merely repaying a debt. Once the orphanage was in sight, Tanya drove close to the old wooden fence. She noticed that there were some new buildings being constructed. It seemed her investments in the place were paying off. She could guess the future, once modernity rolled around the corner and more metropolitan areas were built the Orphanage would become more successful.

Tanya parked the car, and after turning off the engine, she got out of the car. Walking up to the orphanage, she had a brief chat with the head nun. They had a brief chat, catching up on things before Tanya gave the nun the envelope she had stored in her pocket. After wrapping up pleasantries, the young general was on her way out of the door when she noticed a familiar face.

"Major General Lergen?" Tanya was surprised to see her old colleague. After she had taken up a desk job at Operations, Lergen had gotten a promotion. And not long afterward he had taken something of a long trip to America, where he ended up serving as the Empire's diplomat for years. "I wasn't aware that you had returned home to the Fatherland." She said with a perfect salute.

Tanya, of course, knew that Lergen hadn't always thought highly of her during the war. There were some misunderstandings between them, in hindsight they were rather hilarious. But Tanya had still come to respect the man, sure he wasn't on the same strategic level as Zettour, nor did he have the raw charisma of Russeldorf. But the man was less controlled by the blind nationalism that would have destroyed their nation.

She vaguely noted the wedding ring he now sported. It seemed her fellow general had gotten hitched, she wondered if it was someone from America. But decided not to ask such a personal question to him after only having just reunited with him.

"At ease Degurechaff," Lergen stated with a salute of his own. Watching his young comrade with an odd look in his eyes. He had forgotten about her vaguely in the years they had been apart. There were still times he feared the young woman would fan the flames of war, and go for another horrifying world war. And yet none of that had happened, if anything she seemed rather keen to avoid another war. It conflicted with his initial views of the young woman, but he had come to accept that his initial views of her were somewhat skewed. "I've heard that you have had quite a successful career in the time I've been gone." Lergen also, unfortunately, was more than familiar with all the sordid rumors that existed due to Degurechaff not having any known Paramore.

He didn't personally believe any of the sordid rumors. He knew for a fact that while she had something of a warped personality, she certainly wasn't the type to go around in the dead of night tying people up and stringing them up by their unmentionables.

"You're far too kind Lergen. I owe my promotion in large part thanks to our bountiful peace." Tanya noticing that Lergen had been headed towards the same direction she had been before their conversation. She made a polite gesture, and he nodded to her as she opened one of the doors letting him outside.

Once they were outside, much to her dismay he took out a cigarette. And soon smoke filled the air. It was her least favorite smell in the world, even gunpowder was slightly more pleasant to her in contrast. Still, she could at least tolerate this for a small while. Tanya wasn't merely catching up with Lergen for old times sake, but also because he was useful to her for something she had in mind.

Once they were settled by one of the wooden fences. She began speaking. "So are you permanently back from America? Or will you be headed back there soon?" Tanya needed to confirm her suspicions first, as she hadn't heard anything about Lergen's return.

"I am here on temporary vacation with my wife. Still, seeing the fatherland again makes me homesick sometimes. Perhaps I should retire like Russeldorf already, and get a nice countryside home." Lergen mused to himself somewhat serious about his remark.

"What would you say our relationship is like with the USA?" Tanya wasted no time in getting to the bulk of her goal.

"Things are much better than Albion would like. Ever since the USA became a major trading partner with us, any anti-empire sentiments have long become a thing of the past. There are far more pro-empire supporters now these days." Lergen was quite confused by the line of questioning that Degurechaff was throwing his way. And it put him a little on edge since he knew that she wouldn't be starting something like this without a reason. The woman as a child had predicted what state the war was going to take before most of the general staff had even believed it.

"That's good. It will make things easier. If it wouldn't be too much of a bother. Might I know your address so I can forward some documents to you?" Tanya asked once again. Now was the moment of truth, she knew Lergen had quite a few connections in the united states. And if she could send some copies of the same papers she had been giving the kaiser, then hopefully that would better contain any potential cause of the great depression. But her larger goal was to spread her papers to the other nations as well.

"Why?" Lergen couldn't help his suspicion.

"The Empire is a great paragon is it not?" Tanya answered his question while staring wistfully at the setting sun. Lergen waited for her to continue as he let out a long drag of his smoke. "We won the war, crushing it in its tracks before it could truly harm us. And now ten years later the Empire stands at the forefront of everything, and if any disaster were to befall the other countries. They might resent the Empire for such providence. I am simply seeking to ensure that doesn't happen." She turned to face him with such an intense look, it brought back the old pain in his stomach that he used to experience whenever she was around him. "If another war of such magnitude occurs, it will end very poorly for us." She stated darkly.

'_She couldn't possibly know about the joint nuclear tests going on?! Could she?!'_ Lergen thought with a panicked look on his face. No there was no possible way she could know, the list of people that did know was a short one. Kept secret on oath of death, and if anyone did try to snoop around and learn about it. It would be treason punishable by death, and Tanya Von Degurechaff was no fool to try such a thing.

He crushed out his cigarette to regain some composure as the young woman stared at him all the while. "Well, you certainly haven't changed too much Degurechaff. Still making ominous predictions." He joked to try and ease the tension. But he knew deep down that she was right since he knew about the nuclear weapons. Even if he didn't quite understand it all the way, if the scientists were right, those very weapons could end all life. "And what kind of disaster could drive these nations to another foolish war?" He asked to clarify.

"The Great War was short, but it was still costly. Combine that with reparations, the brief stint against the Commies, and our own quelling of southern continent uprisings. And the economy is at a precipice, all it will take is one foolish action to send it reeling. If we don't take measures, it could very well lead to any nation getting the mad idea that war will solve all their problems. Just like the Entente Alliance all over again." She concluded her statement, and Lergen cursed inwardly at the fact of her statement once again being correct despite how he desperately wished it weren't true. He could see the outcome of what she predicted coming to pass. So with a sigh, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen and a piece of paper writing down his address back in the states before passing it off to her.

"Well good day Degurechaff." He stated goodbye with a perfect salute. Before heading to his own car, which looked American. Like one of those old ford cars, which admittedly made Tanya a little envious. But she was more delighted at the prospect of another wedge against X, she didn't know when or how he would strike again. But she wasn't going to be caught off guard when he did strike again, and if the worst did come to pass. Well, she had a plan for that as well, though she hoped she wouldn't have to enact it.

As she got back into her car and drove back to her house. She mused about Lergen some more, in many ways he was truly a man worthy of respect. And this brought her to think about her relationship with the rest of the general staff. Zettour and Russeldorf aside from being her bosses, well if you were to ask anyone else they would say that the two men were like her uncles.

Tanya respected the men, though she disliked their smoking. And Zettour was often too crafty for his own good, and there had been times where she wanted to tear her hair out. It was frustrating since the man was so smart yet misunderstandings would seemingly pop out of nowhere between them.

As for Russeldorf, the man was truly more home at the battlefield, even when he had been directing the war. He was clearly born in the wrong time period, yet Tanya couldn't deny that the man had some care for his troops. Even if he was usually gruffer and brasher about it than most would have liked. She could've sworn he once told a soldier to just pick themselves up and get back to the fight.

And then she struggled to not think about her former unit. Now wasn't the time for such things, she sternly told herself as she arrived at her house. She walked up the stairs to her room and quickly got dressed. Tonight she would dress in a blue dress, after all, it would be rather poor manners to show up to a friend's house all decked out in military garb. Though she would at least keep on a jacket, it wasn't military but a nice simple leather jacket that was grey in color.

The dress in question was one that Visha had given her a long time ago, back when Tanya had been returning to the capital from the rhine front. She would grow into it, Visha had told her. Tanya had been tempted to get rid of it, but for whatever reason, she just never got around to it. It wasn't that bad of a dress, all things considered, it was rather modest covering her legs all the way up to her ankles, and while she wasn't a fan of the frilly sleeves. It was a nice eye-catching color.

Tanya quickly changed into the dress and made sure to look in the mirror as she adjusted her hair. She hadn't really felt the need to change her hairstyle all that much, keeping it too long was rather something of a pain. And though cutting it shorter would no doubt make it less of a hassle when it came to getting ready for work in the morning. She found that some small part of her didn't mind the look. But tonight she decided to let her hair down somewhat, combing out the tangles in it and got out a nice white woman's fedora, with a nice dark blue stripe.

On one of her weekly donations to the orphanage, some kids had actually decided to gift it to her. She had accepted it begrudgingly but didn't have time outside of work, and writing her thesis to decide what to do with it. But for now, it would do for her dinner with the Uger Family.

**Night Near The Capital of Berlin**

**The Uger Homestead**

Tanya gracefully stepped out of her car, looking at what could only be described as a mansion. She sometimes forgot that despite his humble personality. Uger did in fact come from a well off family in his own right. The Mansion was romanesque much like any other building associated with the empire.

It was a rather pleasant white color, with a well-trimmed lawn. Uger awaited her at the gate, waving to her. She chuckled a little at his reaction, it seemed he hadn't expected to her dress up in such a feminine matter. Tanya could at least admit, there was some satisfaction in watching other's reactions seeing her the fearsome ace of aces actually appear womanly.

She and Uger chatted idly as they walked through the grounds into the mansion. Where there were such elegant surroundings, with a fancy crystalline chandelier. Black and white stone tiled floor, and rich red carpets.

As they entered what was no doubt the dining hall, Tanya noticed two particular feminine figures already sitting there. One was clearly Uger's wife with such a demure appearance with long black hair, that surprisingly had no grey lines despite the slight laugh lines she wore. And sitting next to her was a little girl that was no doubt Tasnya.

Tasnya looked a little like both of her parents, she had her mother's vibrant green eyes. And her father's chestnut brown hair. She looked at Tanya with awe and gave off a little salute. Tanya returned the kindness to her, saluting her back as she looked for a place to sit. Uger coughed to draw her attention, pulling out a chair for her.

She thanked him, and then took her seat. As she did so, little Tasnya appeared to be shy, and clearly wanted to ask Tanya many questions. But she kept herself rather restrained in Tanya's eyes, and that was impressive. It seemed that the girl was trying to keep up a collected mature front, despite the inherent shyness.

"So, Tasnya, your father has told me much about you." Tanya decided to chat with the little girl for a bit. While Mrs. Uger went off to go cook their meal, it was rather surprising that for such a large place that would no doubt have servants to do some upkeep. Mrs. Uger seemed to not mind making dinner.

"He has?" Tasnya blushed a little while looking at her father, who nervously adjusted his collar. Tanya nodded and was content to wait a little while. "Is it alright if I ask you some questions Ms. Degurechaff?" Tasnya bit her lip somewhat nervously.

Tanya was rather taken aback by this, and admittedly she wanted to reject the girl. But the rather puppy-like quality of her eyes softened Tanya's usual harsh demeanor much to Uger's relief. "I suppose there is no harm in allowing a few questions." She said a little reluctantly but kept up a smile just for Tasnya.

"So what kind of weapons did you end up using the most?" Tasnya asked. And Tanya answered her questions and was pleasantly surprised that the girl wasn't interested in knowing how many people Tanya killed. She was more interested in the specifics of guns that Tanya used during the war.

Tanya naturally answered the questions about her preferred weapons. And thankfully there were no questions about the damned Type-95, she wanted to forget she had ever had to use that thing. After the war was over, she had turned it back over to Shugel. But whatever became of it wasn't something she was concerned about. It could be rotting in a museum for all she cared at this point.

Another series of questions soon followed. These ones were about Tanya's battalion, the legendary 203rd. Tanya found she didn't mind the questions too much.

"So what was your first battle like?" Tasnya asked Tanya. And Tanya grinned widely remembering the first battle the 203rd experienced, though she was being overly generous for that kind of term. No, that first battle had been more practice, the failed Dacian invasion.

"Let's see our first true battle, came after Dacia tried to invade. We ended up helping another unit known as Viper." Tanya remembered the shock and awe that Northern command felt at the sheer amazing quality of the 203rd. "It was a good trial by fire, and good learning experiences for everyone involved." Tanya felt a lot of pride in her statement.

"Do you ever wish your unit was still together?" Tasnya asked innocently, but the question might as well have been a bullet going through Tanya's chest. She found herself taken aback by the nature of the question. It wasn't malicious, but it brought back a strong surge of longing? Yes, Tanya did sometimes long to see her unit again, they were valuable to her for whatever reason she couldn't fully explain.

"They were extremely precious resources, but with no immediate desperate need for them. It is best to take advantage of their experience and better improve the quality overall for the entire army. Not keep them restricted to a singular unit." Tanya rationalized with herself, though she knew the sound of her voice carried a hollow nature to it. She didn't quite buy her own logic all the way.

The conversation was soon broken up as Mrs. Uger came in with a cart carrying their dinner. Tonight it seemed it would be some Bratwurst, oh joy. Tanya didn't so much hate Bratwurst as she considered it different to her tastes than others. Whether that was due to her previous life's interests, or her body just naturally being like that. She could at least stomach down Bratwurst, and at the very least it wasn't as bad as frontline food.

She could also smell the potatoes and red cabbage. Well, at least she had something to wash it down with. The dinner went smoothly as they prayed, much to her chagrin. But afterward, it was time for the desert.

"That Strudel looks divine," Max said with a grin on his face, as he applied some whipped cream to his piece of strudel. Tanya could smell the flavor, which was a near heavenly smell of strawberries. It seemed Mrs. Uger had a talent for making things from scratch.

"Umm Ms. Degurechaff?" Tasnya started after finishing a bite of her Strudel. "I have one last question if you don't mind?" Tasnya fidgeted with a blush.

Tanya nodded for Tasnya to ask her question. The strudel entering Tanya's mouth was one of the few things that made living in this life worth it. The texture, the flavor, everything was just perfect.

"Did you ever fall in love with anyone?" Tasnya asked yet another devastating question. Tanya just about choked on her strudel at the very mention of the question. She was coughing and hacking, as Uger got behind her giving her the Heimlich maneuver. Her two lives flashed before her eyes, and she felt like she was going to blackout, even as Tasnya apologized in the background.

Luckily Tanya did in fact not pass out. The rest of dinner was somewhat awkward for the young woman, as she didn't really know how to answer Tasnya's question. In both her lives, romance had never truly been a focus of hers. It was always about living her best life, living comfortably, rising up the ranks in whatever organization she found herself in.

And having the fruits of her work be bountiful was a glorious thing. So she had never really found much interest in pursuing romantic interests. It just didn't seem all that relevant to her, and especially in this new life. Matters were only more complicated since she still wasn't all that content with her new body. She was able to adjust to it and doubted she would ever get a sex change operation if it suddenly became available. But otherwise, pursuing relationships seemed like a rather challenging prospect.

There were no men she had any fondness towards, and there was the political climate to consider. If she were to still hold on to her old tastes from the previous life, she doubted the world would be so tolerant of same-sex relationships at this point in time. It was a crux, that made her think of her relationships briefly.

The closest thing she had to fondness was the coffee Serebryakov used to make her. But that time was over now. _'Serebryakov…'_ Tanya sighed as she tried to push away those troublesome thoughts.

The rest of the dinner went uneventfully, and Tasnya soon went to bed. After being escorted out, Tanya went back to her car.

"I am so sorry about her. She didn't mean to be so rude." Max apologized profusely.

"It's fine Max, she is a young curious girl. It's not her fault, but thank you for dinner." Tanya smiled with a salute. Then she got in and drove off to her home. Once inside she went straight to her study.

Only half-heartedly taking off her jacket, and hanging it up on coat rack. She sat down at her desk, going for her pen and paper. Her hands trembled as she tried to begin yet another letter, before immediately throwing it away in a huff. And then a feeling she hadn't felt in a long time appeared once again, as time seemed to still to a halt.

She turned her head around slowly, a feeling of dread and anger rising up in her chest. "Being X…" Tanya spoke his name with such venom, it could have melted an entire tank. She glared at the nutcracker sitting at her window still.

"It has been some time my wayward child." Tanya narrowed her eyes, as something felt off about his voice. If she didn't know any better, did he sound tired?

"Yeah, and it's still as unpleasant as last time," Tanya said crossing her arms, cursing herself for not having a rifle in her study.

"Ah, once again it seems you lack faith. And yet, after much consideration. I have come to the conclusion that forcing your faith will not succeed." X stated much to her conclusion.

"What? Since when did you become reasonable?" Tanya said sharply, on edge wondering if this was the moment her current life would end.

"Why do you despise me? I could have easily chosen to not reincarnate you. I could have easily put you in even worse situations. And yet I even went so far as to give you a great miracle, and didn't prevent your empire from glorious victory." X sounded less angered and somehow depressed?

"Let's see you still put me in this unreasonable reincarnation on the basis that you believed it would make me faithful. And Miracle? You call a bomb strapped to me, that slowly corrodes my mind over time into a mindless fanatic a miracle?" Tanya was feeling incensed at the gall of this so-called god. Yes, she was worried about her next life, and her current life but she just couldn't accept the logic of someone who had acted out of irrationality.

"Hmm, I see that I perhaps could've handled things with more grace. But I haven't come here to fight you, my dear child. I have come here with an offer." X stated in a morose tone.

Tanya blinked at this sudden turn of events. "What offer?" She said wondering what set of unfortunate events she would live through this time?

"I offer that I shall leave you and those closest to you alone. On the condition that once a day for the rest of your days, that you pray to me. At least this way you may come into finding faith in me by yourself instead of by force." Tanya was still surprised by the fatigue in its voice.

"What's the catch?" She couldn't help but ask. Tanya felt like it was far too good to be true, there had to be some other caveat in the wings.

"There is no catch. Though I would know, why do you make donations to the orphanage? I thought you despised me, and would thus want nothing to do with that place?" X asked her and Tanya paused at the question.

"I did it because I owed them. And maybe I felt some pity for those who didn't have my benefits." Tanya crossed her arms somewhat annoyed at having to explain herself. "And it's a good investment, those kids with the right opportunities presented to them, can become people who improve the country around them." She stated her rationale.

"Perhaps I have the same reason for this offer. So will you take it?" Being X asked his voice sounding hopeful. Tanya considered the implications of his offer, it would be gratifying to no longer have to look over her shoulder. To no longer fear having X potentially take away everything, she held dear on a whim. While she still didn't quite believe his sincerity, or that there wasn't some catch to it all. It was a good enough offer that she could accept.

"Very well I accept X. From now on I will pray to you once a day." Tanya stated her agreement.

"It must be a genuine prayer and not one filled with malice. As I know you did during the war…" X sounded amused by her. Yes, she had indeed cursed him a lot during the war whenever she had the chance.

"So will that be all oh lord?" Tanya asked with some sarcasm.

"Thank you, Tanya. Blessed be your life." There was a bright light, and then time resumed. Tanya blinked as the reality of her situation began to set in. She then began laughing loudly, as though madness had overtaken her.

'_This feeling of supreme bliss, it's like all my shackles have been broken! This must be what Atlas felt like when he no longer had to hold up the sky!'_ Tanya leaped across her room into a dance, spinning around like a demented ballerina. A smile crossing her features as she danced well into the night, overjoyed at the freedom she felt.

After she danced for a good two hours, she stopped panting as sweat fell down her face. Then she blinked looking at her desk. Perhaps now she could finally finish that letter, she slowly made her way to her desk.

She felt as though a burden was lifted. So she casually began writing to Serebryakov, it was nothing too fanciful. It was short and to the point, after all, they were professionals. And it was best to treat it as such. Tanya couldn't say why though that if that was the case, why had it taken her so long to write?

And she would have had no answers to that question. Instead, it felt like a long dark chapter was finally closing on her life, as she wrote down the letter to Serebryakov. And then she put in her signature and took out the other letters she had made for the 203rd.

Humming all the while as she packaged them all up since it was a Saturday. She would have to wait at least until Monday before she could deliver the letters. And that was the same day she would be getting her dog, it had taken some time to decide on the best breed. But she felt like she had a good choice in mind.

Though such ruminations would have to wait as she was feeling tired, despite the sheer amount of joy still running through her. She was positively ecstatic at the fact that X would no longer interfere in her life.

**Unknown Beyond Time and Space**

X sighed as he watched Tanya sleep from the heavens he resided in. One of his fellow kin sat beside him looking like Vishnu, with all their arms and blue skin.

"You would let that unbeliever go?" They asked him.

"I do not think it is worth the effort to convert one soul. And if they have lived justly despite having no faith, perhaps it is not they who is flawed but our system. And if that is the case we will need a new apostle to amend things." Being X contemplated his circumstances.

"And yet it won't be her will it?" They asked him yet again.

"No, I have someone else in mind. Perhaps as she brings forth new faith for us, she can also convert Tanya by proxy. And if not, then Tanya will forever remain stuck in the cycle of reincarnation." X stated confidently in his final decision.

**A/N: Sorry if this got somber again. But luckily this should be the last somber chapter in a long while. Plus I needed to solve the problem of X and Tanya.**

**Tanya strikes me as the kind of person who would like to live a normal peaceful life after the war in any timeline if she lived. But would likely have to keep dealing with the presence of X, and long story short it's not a happy outcome for her. After all, she has to constantly be on guard from whatever antics he puts her through next.**

**And I hope I didn't make Tasnya too cringe. It's my first time writing some kind of fangirl.**

**And it's Spooktober, so check out Crimson Interview if you haven't. And let me know if there are any other one-shots you want to see. **


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